Road toll: Six dead after horror weekend on state’s roads

A HIGH-POWERED Ford hit a tree with such force it was uprooted as the XR6 burst into flames, instantly killing the driver, the crash was one of eight lives lost on the road since Thursday.

The B-double which struck a teenager on the M2 early this morning. Picture: Gordon McComiskie

A HIGH-POWERED Ford hit a tree with such force it was uprooted as the XR6 burst into flames, instantly killing the driver.

The firey crash at Bringelly at 3.20am was one of two horrific fatalities in the early hours, with an 18-year-old pedestrian killed when he was hit by a B-double truck and a car on the M2 at Seven Hills about 2.30am.

The state’s first summer weekend was another nightmare for emergency services, with eight lives lost since Thursday.

The crash happened in the early hours of this morning. Picture: Gordon McComiskie

Police closed the motorway and established a crime scene after the accident. Picture: Gordon McComiskie

Police said driver distraction and risky behaviour was to blame for one of NSW’s worst years on the roads.

The road toll stands at 365, 40 more than the same time last year.

The teenager was hit near a bus stop on the M2 and close to Winston Hills shopping centre. Picture: Gordon McComiskie

Another teenager, 17, died after being involved in a head-on collision at Wandandian, 30km south of Nowra, at 2.15pm on Saturday, while the driver of the other car, a man, 58, and his female passenger, 56, were both hospitalised. The man was flown to St George Hospital where he remained in a critical but stable condition last night, while the woman was released from Shoalhaven Hospital.

Police Assistant Commissioner Michael Corboy said the Christmas holiday period hadn’t officially begun but officers were already disturbed about driver behaviour.

The driver of the truck wasn’t injured but was suffering from shock. Picture: Gordon McComiskie

Traffic banked up with motorists sitting on the side of the road as police investigated the crash. Picture: Gordon McComiskie

“We are really throwing every officer we can at this, we are not going to drop the ball on this,” he said.

On Friday Dr Vincent Wong, 76, died after a motorcyclist, 26, careered into him, killing them both, at Lane Cove.

The others died in crashes at Doyaldson, West Dapto and Bedgerabong.

Hours later a driver lost their life when the car they were in crashed into a tree in Bringelly. Picture: Gordon McComiskie

Police believe speed was a factor in the crash. Picture: Gordon McComiskie

Originally published as Road toll: Six dead after horror weekend on state’s roads